A Single Bullet ::A Juliet Skyse Story::
by Daemon Wings
Summary: -:I felt bad that Riley never got a girl. So I ended up dreaming this. Deal.:- A single bullet had caused this tragedy. A single bullet had shattered more than one life. "Welcome to my life..." he mumbled.


Lately everything was upside-down. Good music was playing on radio stations, people were eating healthier, and gas prices were low. But nothing was this topsy-turvy.

"Ben, I need your help," Riley started. On any other day, it was Ben approaching Riley. But not today. "It's my sister," he went on, feeling rather embarrassed. "She made a new friends and latched her onto me."

Ben couldn't help but laugh. "That's a little harsh to say, don't you think? And I didn't know you had a sister!"

Riley sighed. "Yeah, my sister Sam." He looked down the street, seeing a girl with dirty blonde hair sitting against a streetlamp. A Vans sneaker against the pole was tapping. Either the girl was impatient, or listening to music. It was probably both.

"Is that Sam?" Ben asked, following his friend's gaze to the blonde.

"Uh...no...that's Juliet. Sam's friend," Riley replied. Ben nodded, still watching the girl wait.

"How old is she, sixteen?" Ben asked. Riley burst out laughing.

"No, nineteen. She turns twenty in October," replied the man, only three years older.

Ben was amazed, after having expected the girl much younger. "Wow," was all he could say. "But, Riley, I need your help, too."

Riley smiled, shaking his head. "Why do I have the feeling this is about treasure?" he asked. When he looked back to the street lamp, the blonde was gone. "Oh no, not already!" he whispered.

"'Not already'...what?" asked a female voice, and both men turned to see Juliet standing there, smiling. As always, headphones were in her ears.

"God, don't do that, Julie! I feel like I'm babysitting you..." Riley muttered. Juliet laughed.

"You're acting like it, too. I'm a big girl, Riley. I can take care of myself, and go to a Starbucks of I want," the blonde replied, referring to an embarrassing incident earlier that day. Riley's whole face went red."Don't ask," she added, looking to Ben.

"Okay, I won't."

Juliet smiled, and then asked, "Hey wait. Aren't you Ben Gates?" Ben nodded. "Lemme guess, you guys are going after another treasure?" Both men nodded, this time. "I want in."

-----

Juliet stepped into a corner of the cave, while Ben and Riley stood in front of another wall, looking at the markings. Riley went on, talking gibberish, while Ben occasionally nodded, as if he understood. Well, Jules was impressed. A small smile creeping onto her face, the blonde tapped the pouch Velcro-ed to her belt, the Ear Buds that were always in her ears suddenly playing music. She nodded her head subtly to the beat of the song she was greeted by.

_Hurtful words,_

_From my enemies of the last five years,_

_What's it like to die alone?_

_How does it feel when tears freeze, when you cry?_

_And the blood in your veins is twenty below?_

"I don't get this at all. Words are missing, or this is some drunk guy's poem," Riley said, his voice suddenly above a whisper. Juliet looked up, but neither of the men seemed to remember she was there. Rolling her brown eyes, the girl went back into her own little world, just in time for her favorite part of the song.

_Sitting in this room playing Russian Roulette,_

_Finger on the trigger to my dear, Juliet,_

_Looking out the window, see her backdrop silhouette,_

_This blood on my hands is something I cannot forget._

_Sitting in this room playing Russian Roulette,_

_Finger on the trigger to my dear, Juliet,_

_Looking out the window, see her backdrop silhouette,_

_This blood on my hands is something I cannot forget._

_Something I cannot forget..._

"Well, what's it say, Riley?" Ben asked, and the blonde in the corner raised an eyebrow, surprised Riley hadn't said what the writing on the cave wall meant.

"It says, 'Sitting in this room, finger on the trigger, looking out, This blood on my hands'. See? Gibberish," Riley replied, sighing. "This is hopeless, Ben." Then it hit him. "Wait a sec...Julie! C'mere!" he said, turning around.

_So for now, _

_Take this down a notch,_

_Crash my car through your window!_

_Make sure you're still alive,_

_Just in time to kill, _

_You!_

Juliet looked up again, smiling. "Okay...what's wrong?" she asked, staring up at the markings carved into the wall. "You need the missing words?" she asked, and the two beside her nodded. Juliet shook her head, wishing Abigail had joined them here, instead of working. But the poor girl had already missed so much, she would have lost her job if she'd come. Looking back up, the blonde repeated what Riley had said in her mind.

"Well? Do you know?" Riley asked. Juliet looked over to him, smiling. She gave a small nod, and took out a head phone from behind her wall of dirty blonde locks, turning up the volume on her iPod.

_"Sitting in this room playing Russian Roulette / Finger on the trigger to my dear, Juliet / Looking out the window, see her backdrop silhouette / This blood on my hands is something I cannot forget," _sang Ronnie, Juliet nodding her head again in time with the Escape The Fate song. A scraping sound was heard, as dust filled the room. The wall was moving, the door was opening!

"Omigod, I can't believe that worked..." Juliet whispered, and then slowly started laughing.

"Nice work, Jules," Ben said, stepping towards the now exposed tunnel and peering in. Of course, unlit torches hung around the room, dust covered and surrounded by cobwebs. The "treasure protector" grabbed the nearest one and tossed it to Riley, grabbing another for himself, lighting it with his handy-dandy lighter, then tossing that as well to his accomplice.

"What, I don't get one?" asked Juliet, jokingly, following Ben into the tunnel. Riley walked down afterwards, shaking his head with the slightest glimmer of a smile. "Aw, come on, guys. You're talking to the girl who only celebrates Hanukah because you burn candles," Juliet went on, laughing. The soft orange flames of the torches danced in an endless waltz before her chocolate eyes, mesmerizingly beautiful. An echo-ey click was barley heard when the three exited the tunnel into a doughnut shaped, large room.

"Uh, Ben? I've got a bad feeling about this..." Riley piped up, looking around the room hesitantly.

"What could be wrong? Some assassin beat us here?" asked Juliet, smiling. Then her gut spoke to her, agreeing with Riley's words. She gasped softly, as another voice spoke, "Exactly." Julie couldn't believe it. It was all a trap.

Seconds later a gunshot was heard. Seconds later the blonde's scream pierced the air, and seconds later she lay crumpled on the ground, a pool of thick red liquid growing beneath her head. Julie's brown eyes were frozen, wide open and showing the fear she had felt.

"Oh my God!" Riley whispered, to stunned to speak louder. He fell to his knees, completely freaked out. "Oh no, Julie, no..." he whispered, checking for the blonde's pulse. Her heart beat was slowing, but at least she still had one.

The man who had shot Juliet gave a quick smile before stepping backwards into the hole that lay in the center of the room. Homicide, suicide. Ben had lunged forward, but missed the man, and the hole, thankfully. But Juliet's pulse was steadily slowing.

"Ben! We have to get her out of here," Riley shouted, two of his fingers still on the girl's neck. Ben nodded, and helped Riley get the blonde out of the cave. Once outside, he pulled out his cell phone, dialing 911. The ambulance arrived a few minutes later, and rushed the three to the nearest hospital. Doctors and nurses hurried over, asking Ben and Riley questions like lightning, and pushing Juliet into an emergency room on a stretcher, that was placed on one of those rolling carts.

"What happened to her?" asked a brunette nurse.

"She was shot," Ben replied, quickly. The nurse gave a puzzled look. "I'm Ben Gates," he said, and she gave a loom that said clearly, "Oh."

"Who are you, her boyfriend?" asked a red haired doctor, to Riley. Eyes wide, and face flushed, Riley shook his head, 'no.'

"She's missing quite a bit of blood, and her pulse is slowing, fast," said a blonde nurse, to the red-head doctor. He nodded, and the two nurses pushing Juliet's cart went into a run.

"I'm sorry, but we'll have to perform surgery," one of the doctors told Ben and Riley. "She may not make it," he continued. Riley bit his lip. "You'll have to wait here. I'm sorry. We are trying our best to save her," assured the doctor, before turning and hurrying down the white hall towards the cart.

"She'll be okay, Riley. I promise," Ben whispered, placing a hand on his best friend's shoulder.

-------

Fifteen silent minutes passed before the large doors opened again, a doctor walking out slowly.

"She's okay for now, but she won't survive. We're estimating about half an hour before she..." the doctor said, letting his voice trail off. A fast paced click was heard, another blonde woman rushing down the hall with a brunette woman.

"How is she, will she be alright?" asked the blonde.

"Riley! What happened to Juliet? Is she okay?" asked the brunette. Ben and Riley looked up at the sound of the two voices.

"Abigail!" Ben exclaimed, standing up. "She..."

Riley sighed, and shook his head. The brunette bit her lip, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Sam." Riley told his sister, hanging his head, still in the uncomfortable hospital chairs.

"No, I'm sorry. I know how you feel..." Sam started, but Riley cut her off, looking up again.

"No, you don't know what's it like. When nothing feels alright? You don't know what it's like to be me! To be hurt, to feel lost, to be left out in the dark! To be kicked when you're down, to feel you've been pushed around. To be on the edge of breaking down, and no one's there to save you. No, you don't know what it's like. Welcome to my life," Riley spat at his sister, standing up and walking towards the room where Juliet lay in a bed. He put an arm on the window and pressed his forehead against the glass.

"Riley..." Sam whispered, following her brother. "I do know how you feel. She was, like, my best friend. But you are right, at the same time. You _loved _her. I just liked her." The brunette gave a quick smile as she said this, knowing Riley would disagree.

"She's ready for visitors. Would you two like to come in, first?" asked a nurse, looking at Riley and Sam. The brunette took the opportunity, and walked behind her brother, pushing him into the room. Juliet smiled softly when she saw him, her brown eyes half closed, however.

"Riley! Sam!" she whispered, her speech slurred from the anesthetic that was to numb her pain. She tried to put something on the table beside her, but the nurse rushed over and took it from her, instead.

"Honey, we've told you. Don't move!" the nurse scolded the blonde, wagging a finger at her. She looked at the folded paper with a puzzled look. "Who's this for, sweetie?"

Julie turned her head out the window, and pointed towards Ben. The nurse shot her a glare, knowing the blonde wouldn't cooperate. Juliet smiled.

"Well, I've seen her, and I have work to get back to. Bye!" Sam said, jubilantly, and rushed out of the room after closing the curtains, a nurse asking her to do so. Riley shook his head, and looked to the blonde.

"Jules, I'm so sorry.." he started, but as always Juliet interrupted.

"It's not your fault," she said, a hint of anger in voice. Her speech was still slurred, but unlike a drunk, she was understandable. "I should have listened to you, instead of joking around."

"How could you have known that we weren't the first one's there?" Riley asked. "How could you have known?" Juliet leaned her head back, closing her eyes. A small smile crept onto her face.

"I dunno," she replied softly. "Welcome to my life."

With that, Riley smiled. Even though he was looking at his sister's best friend on her death bed, he was smiling. Behold, the magic that is Juliet Skyse.

"Tell her!" Sam whispered rather loudly, poking her head into the room. "Okay, off to work!"

"Tell me...what?" asked Julie, starting to recover from the anesthetic.

Riley shook his head. "Nothing." A cell phone rang, however, and when Riley picked it up Sam's voice leaked through the speaker.

"Don't lie, you idiot. Tell her the truth!" Sam shouted, and then left the line silent.

"Riley..." Juliet asked again, her curiosity burning inside of her.

"Fine." He had no idea how he supposed to tell her, how she would take it, and even if this was the right time. But if didn't tell her, he never would. Riley could tell his face was flushed, and as he bit the corner of his bottom lip, he continued. "I..." Or, _tried._

It only took the blonde a few moments to put two, and two, and two together. He had always been a little over-protective of her; He was stuttering, avoiding the topic; And he was _blushing. _ There's only one explanation for why a boy blushes. Juliet propped herself up with her arms, and shook her head with a smile. "Stop, okay? Just, stop." Her voice was back to normal, but the clock was ticking down. Quickly, Juliet leaned forward and pressed her lips against Riley's.

---------------

"Are you Ben Gates?" asked a nurse who had stepped out of Juliet's room. Ben nodded, and took the folded paper from the palm of the nurse. Opening it up, both he and Abigail looked at the paper, read the words hastily scribbled.

"It's a...a song..." Abby whispered, astounded. She took the paper and read it again, hearing Juliet's own voice as she read. A strange sensation, when you hardly knew the person.

_No reminders of my mistakes,_

_After the light washes the burdens away._

_But one last request, please?_

_Tell him I'm sorry for leaving._

Her blue eyes scanning the page, tears formed. "I think she's talking about Riley. Fourth line," Abigail stated, pointing to a line on the paper. "See?"

"Oh my God..." Ben whispered, reading the song again. "You're right..."

_I can't stop fate, or destiny,_

_And who knew my path led to tragedy?_

_But now that I am gone, can I ask,_

_Let him know it's okay to move on,_

_Let him know that I am at rest._

The two looked up as Riley stepped out of the white room. Before either could ask, Riley shook his head. His eyes were closed, trying so hard to hide the fact that tears were forming in his eyes. Ben stood and walked to his best friend, but Riley pushed him away, walking towards the doors to the outside world.

_But now that I am alone_

_He'll keep my weight on his shoulders_

_A burden to him is my death_

_A burden, my eternal rest._

Abigail folded the paper again and slipped it into her pocket. Ben followed Riley, shouting his name. "Riley! Riley, come on!"

"Just leave me alone, Ben!" Riley replied, his voice cracking. "Or get me cake. Cake is a right." With that Ben smiled, and walked Riley to the hospital cafeteria.

"I'll get you delicious cake. Cake is a right, delicious cake is a privilege," Ben replied.

_I can see it now, _

_My face frozen under blue linens,_

_And you try to comfort him as he mourns._

_But I warn, _

A cart passed by the two, a foot sticking out from under the soft blue linens. A tag was wrapped around the big toe of the foot, reading, _"Juliet Skyse". _Ben made sure Riley didn't turn around, and Abigail bit her lip to keep from crying.

"I'm sorry, Riley..." she whispered, walking faster to catch up with the two. Delicious cake was only steps away, now.

_Don't let him see me, don't let him watch._

_And when you tell him, turn it down a notch._

_I've already suffered, my tears fall like rain._

_I don't want to cause him anymore pain._

_But now that I am gone,_

_He'll carry my weight on his shoulders_

_A burden to him is my death,_

_A burden, my eternal rest._

A rolling thunder was heard, and soon rain started falling hard. Flashes lit the sky, in that old cliché' way that rain symbolizes bad things.

A far as Riley was concerned, the rain should have happened when he met the girl. If Sam hadn't thrown Juliet to him, none of this would have happened. He wouldn't have ended up killing an innocent nineteen year old.

As if reading Riley's mind, Ben whispered, "But you never would have fallen in love."

_No matter how hard I try, _

_I know that I will not get by._

_I'll never see him again, you see,_

_But I know the tears he cries are for me._

"That's exactly why I wish I never met her," Riley replied, lowering his head into his hands. His shoulder's subtle movements showed that the man was crying.

"Do you ever feel like breaking down? Do you ever feel out of place? Like somehow you just don't belong, and no one understands you?" Riley asked. Ben shook his head. "Didn't think so."

"Riley?" Ben asked, and his friend looked up, his slice of chocolate cake untouched. "She left us a note."

This got Riley's attention. "What did it say?"

Instead, Ben just held out his hand to Abigail. She took the paper out of her pocket and gave it to Ben, who slid it across the table to Riley. As he read it, tears formed all over again.

_Tell him__ that I'm sorry,_

_And as my light dims,_

_I know that I'll always love him._

_**T**_**he **_**E**_**nd. (':**


End file.
